Pre-Health Professional Program

The University of Texas Permian Basin offers academic and pre-professional advising toward a number of health professional programs, including medicine, dentistry, chiropractic medicine, optometry, pharmacy, physician's assistant, podiatry, and veterinary medicine.

These pre-health professional programs are not academic majors. Students may major in any academic discipline they choose, and they are encouraged to choose a major that reflects their academic interests and abilities. Since most professional health programs require certain courses in mathematics and the natural sciences, however, largely for operational convenience, the pre-health professional programs at U.T. Permian Basin are offered primarily through the Biology major. Regardless of major, students planning careers in one of the health professions should contact the health professions advisor for appropriate pre-professional advising.

As requirements for acceptance into their programs, the health professional schools have a minimum number undergraduate semester credit hours ranging from 60 to 90, depending on the school. In practice, however, applicants with these minimum requirements rarely receive admission; a baccalaureate degree is highly desirable and as a general rule it is recommended that students plan on completing their degree before entering a health professional school.

To see information about each major health professional program, click on the appropriate link below:

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Dallas)

All nine medical schools have essentially the same minimum undergraduate prerequisites, plus a few "extra" requirements by some schools, as noted:

Course requirement

UTPB course equivalent

English (two semesters)

ENGL 1301, ENGL 1302

General Biology I and II with lab

BIOL 1306/1106, BIOL 1307/1107

General Chemistry I and II with lab

CHEM 1311/1111, CHEM 1312/1112

Organic Chemistry I and II with lab

CHEM 3411/3113, CHEM 3412/3114

Physics I and II with lab

PHYS 1301/1101, PHYS 1302/1102

Calculus I or Statistics

MATH 2413, MATH 3301, or PSYC 3301

In addition to these prerequisites, UTHSC at San Antonio School of Medicine requires Biochemistry (UTPB course equivalent BIOL 4320)

The eight public medical schools listed above are all served through one central application service, Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). To access the TMDSAS website, click on www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas

You might also be interested in the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), a state program to assist highly qualified but economically disadvantaged Texas residents prepare for medical school. If you think you qualify for JAMP, click on the JAMP website, www.utsystem.edu/jamp